Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-06-22

was looking after me as l entered tho
brush.
/ had forgotten 10 say that during the
night we were greatly disturbed by the
noises around us. We kept several
large fires going, and while these pre-
vented marauding beasts from coming
too near. the glare probably attracted
them to the locality. One could dis
tinguish the spit of the panther, the
snarl of the tiger, and the voice of the
lion; and added to these were the howl
of the wolf. the chatter of the hyena,
and the yelp of the jackal. Truly, we
had struck rich find. Driven out of
the other, districts, the beast creation
had made their way to this, and the
sound of hunters rifle had not been
heard here for years.
/ had not gone quarter Of n mile
from camp when large black snake
ran Kissing away from my feet, and L
heard wild beast of some sort making
its way in the thickct. These were
proofs that could not be overprudent,
and thereafter / kept my eyes about
me and my rifle ready for instant serv-
ice. The village was strung along
the creek for half mile, but the first
hut l came to was an Enclosure that
had been used for council house.
The four walls were of adobe, while
the roof was matched. There were
really but three walls, one end being
left open except a slight return of each
side wall. This open space was at
least twenty feet across, while there
was room enough inside for 400 people
to sit OF stand. The open end looked
back in the direction / had come, and
twenty feet away was the beginning of a
wall which extended for about 800 feet.
1t was about four feet high, made of
adobe, and / could not make out for
what purpose it had been erected. Ii
an enemy had been expected to APP
proach from east or west this wall
would have been good breastwork, al
though its left flank could have easily
been turned.
l stood there for three or four min
utes scanning the interior of the build
ing, and then walked to the further end
of it. There was couple of whitened
skulls on the ground, and l gave one
of them kick. AS did so an insect or
a reptile of some sort issued forth with
great swiftness and stung or bit me
on the left wrist. Its movements were
so rapid that l could not say whether
it flew or sprang at me. l simply
caught glimpse or two of dark,
hairy object, and then felt the pain,
which was as severe as if 1 had been
touched with a red-hot iron. car
ried an antidote for insect and reptile
poisoning. Near the great doorway
was block of wood, and | went to it.,
pulled of my coat, pushed up my sleeve,
and examined the wound. There was
but one puncture, but it had drawn
blood, and the flesh was rapidly
reddening. ! brought my arm up
and sucked away at the wound for
two or three minutes, and then applied
the antidote and wrapped Il bandage
about it. must have drawn the poison
out, but nevertheless | soon found my
self as weak as babe, and my head
seemed four times too large for my
body. Indeed, l was afraid to stand
up for fear that my body would not
support the head. This feeling began
to go away in about fifteen minutes,
and | was just congratulating myself
on my lucky escape when | turned my
eyes to the north, or toward camp
The sight thrilled me like IN electric
shock. Close beside the wall, on the
left hand side, was "a tiger, rousing
big fellow, who had seen fifteen years
of life. On the right hand side, and
also close to the base of the wall, was q
medium sized male lion, and the atti-
tude of boh plainly showed that they
had been stalking me. 1t was still
hunt, and was the victim. The lion
had come out of the bush to the right,
and the tiger had some out of u
thicket to the left and crossed the creek
Neither animal could have seen the
other, and thus they were not aware of
each Others presence.
Had remained in the building with
my back to the door another moment
one of the beasts would undoubtedly
have crept close enough to make a
spring. When l turned about and sat
down on the block ofwood'thc movement
upset their calculations and made them
timid for the moment. Under certain
circumstance any wild beast loses heart.
A move which is surprise and not
clearly understood will make ours of
them ut once, and II second move will
put them to ignominious flight. When
l got sight of the beasts the lion
had half turned, as if to sneak away,
while the tiger was crouchcd against
the wall, and appeared shame-faced.
Had Risen up and swung my hat and
yelled both would have bolted. but /
must confess that, taking my pain and
and the general situation into account,
i was badly ratified. | couldn't think
just what ought to be done, and there
fore did nothing. This, after moment,
encouraged the beasts, and then came
such situation rs few men were ever
placed in. had opportunity to soc
here, a lion and tiger approaching a
victim waiting to be struck down. l
have wondered thousand times what
could have come over me to sit there
with my gun within reach and my re-
volver in its holster and make not the
slightest move to save my life, while
those fierce brutes crept nearer and
nearer. / think the poison benumbcd
and Supplied me to certain extent.
That is, while my brain was never more
active and my eye-sight keen, felt
helpless to move, and my mouth was
as dry as il had the fever. / knew
my peril as fully as any one could, but
when | thought of grasping my rifle
and sighting it the exertion required
discouraged me.
The lion was the boldcr of the two.
After making nm his mind that could